Nepotism, mismanagement behind Cong defeat: Randhawa

In a veiled attack on the Congress' style of functioning, senior Congress leader and former minister Jasjit Singh Randhawa has alleged that mismanagement in Patiala Lok Sabha seat was behind the party's disappointing performance here.

In a veiled attack on the Congress' style of functioning, senior Congress leader and former minister Jasjit Singh Randhawa has alleged that mismanagement in Patiala Lok Sabha seat was behind the party's disappointing performance here.

"I was shifted to Dera Bassi so that the leader could field his favourite candidate from Ghanaur. He used shrewd tactics," Randhawa added. Randhawa was a minister in Beant Singh and Captain Amarinder Singh-led governments.

On being queried on the name of this leader, he said: "Everybody knows who this leader is. Even you know that."

"We could have easily won all the assembly seats in the area, had this leader not interfered in seat selection. He also did not campaign in any other constituency of the Lok Sabha segment, except Ghannaur, Rajpura and Samana," Randhawa said.He added that despite repeated complaints to the All India Congress Election Observers, no action was taken.

Randhawa has the people who worked against the official party candidates and were responsible for the party's defeat in the Vidhan Sabha elections despite very good pre-poll chances should not be spared.

He welcomed the party's decision to make Sunil Jakhar, the Congress Legislative Party leader.